A wireless local area network (WLAN) may be formed by one or more access points (APs) that provide a shared wireless communication medium for use by a number of client devices or stations. Each AP, which may correspond to a Basic Service Set (BSS), periodically broadcasts beacon frames to enable any client devices within wireless range of the AP to establish and/or maintain a communication link (e.g., a communication channel) with the WLAN.
In some WLANs, a client device may be configured for use with the one or more APs in the WLAN using a public key encryption algorithm. Public key encryption (sometimes referred to as public/private key encryption) is a method of securely transferring data using a known (public) and a secret (private) key. The public and private keys typically have a mathematical relationship with each other. In addition to transferring data, the public and private keys may verify messages and certificates, and generate digital signatures. For example, the client device may share a public key (e.g., a public encryption key of the client device) with APs within the WLAN. The APs may use the client device's public key to authenticate and configure the client device. Once authenticated, the client device may access (e.g., connect to) the APs within the WLAN. However, controlling access of the client device to the WLAN may be difficult after distribution of the client device's public key.
Accordingly, it may be desirable to improve access control of the client device to the WLAN.